Saturday, 20 January 2018

Scope Creep

We are only 19 days into 2018 (as I type this), and already
we are getting into ‘peak absurdity’ level in regards to Public Health.

In 2007, England finally fell in line with Wales, Scotland
& Ireland and banned smoking from all public enclosed spaces. Since then,
we have countless years of the likes of ASH pushing to expand the boundaries of
the smoking ban, culminating in 2017 when we saw efforts to ban smoking from
beaches, parks and other open-air spaces, and in some cases succeeding.

Of course, smoking was banned from being advertised on radio
and TV many years ago, the ban eventually extending to cinemas. This was
quickly followed by the ban on Tobacco Companies sponsoring sports events.
Those of us a certain age can all remember cricket being sponsored by the likes
of Benson & Hedges. Rugby League was also sponsored by Tobacco Companies in
various guises, e.g. the Silk Cut Challenge Cup. Then there was snooker with
competitions such as the Embassy World Championship.

Perhaps the most iconic
sporting images of all time were to be found in Formula One. Who can forget the
Marlboro Mclaren decked out in the distinctive orange and white livery, the Rothmans Williams Renault decked out in blue & white, or the
all-black John Player Specials driven by World Champion Mario Andretti and his
team-mate, the late Ronnie Petersen ?

There were many, many more examples that I
bet you can all remember.

Of course, after the ban on advertising, this was the only
way that Tobacco Companies could promote their products. But of course, the
slippery slope is neverending and soon tobacco control succeeded in extending
the ban to stop tobacco companies sponsoring any sporting event (or indeed any
type of event at all).

So, quite naturally, sports and sports teams had to move on
to other forms of sponsorship. The breweries and other alcohol manufacturers
and vendors were quick to fill the void. So we found rugby events such as the
Heineken Cup (European Cup), the Magners Pro 12 etc. Football also followed
suit and we had the Carling Cup (League Cup) and the Budweiser Cup (FA Cup).
Many rugby and soccer teams also managed to secure alcohol sponsorship which
was often seen emblazoned across the front of jerseys.

But in recent years, public health has also started moving
against alcohol sponsorship of sports teams and tournaments, declaring that
such sponsorships are damaging to the health of the public. Think about this.
They have not quite got there yet, but how much longer do you really think it
will be before they make moves to get alcohol banned from sport sponsorship/advertising in exactly the same way as
tobacco ?

The latest trend has seen many sports teams becoming
sponsored by betting companies. This is far more prevalent in soccer than most
other sports, but considering that soccer is by far the biggest sport in the UK
and, given the plethora of gambling options that you can find on soccer matches
these days, it is hardly surprising.

Inevitably, in an obvious case of scope creep, gambling is
being claimed as a public health issue these days with organisations like
Public Health England calling for a clampdown on the gambling industry. Now,
aside from a flutter on the National Lottery, I can in no way be considered a
gambler. I think I have only ever been in a bookies on one occasion (with a
mate who wanted to lay some bets on the horses) and I have never ever set foot
in a casino. Hell, I don’t even have an occasional flutter on a fruit machine.
But even so, I have to agree with Chris Snowdon

Which brings me to tweets I have seen appearing from one of
the most sanctimonious and joyless ‘person’ I have ever seen working in public
health – Robin Ireland.

So, basically, Robin wants to see a ban on the Gambling
Industry sponsoring soccer. Presumably he would like to see this applied to all
sports, and he is not alone. There are countless more like Robin in the public
health industry who think that gambling is an illness that public health should
be concerned with. Their way of dealing with it is taken from the Tobacco
Control manual and that is to try and ban advertising in all its forms. It is as clear a case of scope creep as one can imagine.

I surely cannot be the only one who can see the pattern
forming here.

Tobacco advertising was driven out of sport by the zealots.

The zealots are also trying to drive alcohol out of sport.

Now they are making moves to drive gambling companies out of
sport.

Given the current outcry against sugar, salt and so-called
‘junk food’, it is only a matter of time before cries ring out to try and ban
companies like Coca-Cola, McDonalds & Pizza Hut from advertising in sport.

Where will it end ?

Will Financial Companies be banned from
advertising/sponsoring sport because their products may result in risky
investments ?

Will Automotive Industries be banned from
advertising/sponsoring because they are promoting risky driving ?

Will energy companies be banned from advertising/sponsoring
because they have not invested in sufficient green technologies ?

The way things are going, it will become increasingly
difficult for Sport, or indeed ‘Arts’ events like music festivals, to find any
way of getting sponsorship because the largest and most successful
companies on the planet are banned from any involvement. There will be a
growing number of sports teams and tournaments chasing an ever dwindling list
of companies that are allowed to sponsor them. The inevitable result will be
the decline of sports teams and an increase in costs to the followers of such
sports.

Somebody commented recently in a blog (sorry, I cannot recall
who it was), that Public Health are running around in ever decreasing circles.
I would go further than that and suggest that Public Health are slowly running
up their own arses.

Enjoy these days, because the way the public health racket
is panning out, our children and their children will never get to enjoy or
experience the world the way we have. Sport will cease to exist if it cannot
find sponsorship/advertisers, and Public Health is constantly seeking to limit
who is allowed to do the sponsorship/advertising.

The Arts rely on advertising/sponsorship, especially the
music industry. More and more other type of events and festivals also rely on
advertising/sponsorship.

Finally, the TV and Film Industry rely on
sponsorship/advertising. Take those away and there will simply be no content to
watch on TV or in the cinema.

Could Public Health actually turn out to be the death of
modern civilisation ?

About Me

I was born in Wales way back in the year of 1963. I am bilingual - fluent in both Welsh and English - but can also lay claim to having some limited conversational abilities in French, Dutch and German.
My favourite sport is Rugby Union, which I played for more than 30 years until forced to retire due to injury. Consequently, I am a bit bigger than your average guy in that I am 6 foot tall and currently weigh 170lbs.
I am an accomplished musician having played in several brass bands and orchestras, therefore I can play a multitude of musical instruments.